Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)

Small Zhengui


Zhengui exalted in once again being able to crawl among the weeds and rocks, burrowing into the dirt and jumping out at small passing animals. They might need to find a new game though. Hide-and-Bite had gotten much easier, maybe too easy, as even though they were smaller than Big Sister again, their awareness of the forest, its roots, branches, and denizens remained.

The game was evened somewhat by Zhen's continual distraction as he went on about Lady Cui and how they would have to find a suitable gift as thanks for showing them how to shrink. "It would only be polite, and they were sure Big Sister would be happy to meet with the Royal Serpent and the …"

"Zhen just wants to talk with Lady Cui." He cut off his other half a teasing tone threading through his thoughts.

Zhen hissed down at him, a tongue of flame revealing their presence and sending a family of rabbits fleeing. Before Gui could continue, Zhen straightened up, tongue tasting the air. "Big Sister approaches."
"I can feel her too." Gui retorted as he began pulling them up from the little hole he'd dug.

They were only halfway out of the ground, Gui's front toes pawing through the dirt looking for purchase when Big Sister materialized beside them, filling the sky. Amusement and contentment came through their bond as she looked down at them digging up the dirt. They had only a moment of warning, but before they could voice a complaint she had reached down to pull them free of the dirt, wrapping them up in her arms like when they had first hatched. Sitting in Big Sisters lap, Zhen coiling around one her hands as the other rubbed at Gui's head, their protestations suddenly died unspoken.

They could feel her soul stretching out to fill the glade they'd been playing in, a wall of mist rising at the edges. "How have you two been doing?" she asked.

"Playing!" they cheerfully replied.

Gui of course did not miss the chance to tease Zhen in front of Big Sister. "Zhen kept getting distracted. Always thinking about Lady Cui instead of Hide-and-Bite."

Zhen coiled up again, outrage sparking across his scales, "I was not. I was making sure we were polite, unlike dirty Gui who kept looking for bugs to eat."

Their bickering continued as Big Sister laid back in the grass, smiling at their antics. Strangely though, her thoughts and feelings started getting fainter. Gui squirmed free from her arms to peer up at her face as Mommy Big Sister closed her eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

Zhen answered, "She's going to sleep silly Gui. Big sleepy head should recognize that."

Gui spun around on Big Sisters chest try to bite at his other half. "I am not a sleepy head!"

Their argument went on for several minutes, Gui chasing Zhen around in circles as he continued to discuss how Gui was in fact a sleepy head. Finally Mommy Big Sister spoke, even as she kept her eyes closed; "How is it that the only time in the last few months I choose to sleep is the one where you two have this much energy?"

They stopped suddenly, glancing at each other one foot hanging suspended in the air. "Sorry Big Sister" they chorused.

She laughed a little. "I'm glad you're having fun, but could run around not on top of me?"

Gui moved to step off, but Zhen whispered in their mind "We should nap with Mommy Big Sister. She doesn't sleep often anymore." Gui considered this: "Yes. I, Gui am good at napping." So saying, they settled back down, letting her hands come up to hold them once again, drifting off to sleep to Dream with Mommy.


A.N. Just a little scene from sometime first year. I was rereading the scenes were Zhengui was an excitable little child and thought I'd try my hand. Assuming that Cui was the one to teach Zhengui how to be smol and playing up their crush on Cui a little.

Omake @yrsillar

Ling Qi looked down at the rings filling for the second round of the preliminaries with mild interest. In this set there were even fewer people who she knew by name. Han Fang and Ma Jun were both acquaintances from last year. Looking at Han Fang caused her to pause, staring at the squat young man beside him, recognition flickered, Fan Yu Xiulan's former fiance. She had never much cared for him, but by the end most of her dislike had guttered out into pity. It looked like he had managed to achieve the bronze physique, if only barely, so perhaps Xiulan's… final exit from their arrangement had helped him focus?

The last person she recognized was Lu Feng, Sun Liling's subordinate from last year. She had never interacted with him much, but he had been instrumental in defeating Gan Guangli in last years tournament, and had been heading his opposition this year. She wished him the illest luck.

"Hm, anyone of interest in these rounds?" Xia Anxi asked. "I see one of the grandsons of the Butcher's pet Lu, but none who might oppose him in his ring."

Lu Feng was, unfortunately, a match for Gan Guangli at the third step of the third realm, according to his reports. She assumed the Sun family had been funnelling him resources as well.

"There is the Han scion," Ling Qi said politely. "We were sparring partners once or twice last year and he has a good tactical mind. I might also suggest the zither girl in the third ring with bells in her hair."

Ma Jun looked more confident and less shrinking than the last time Ling Qi had seen her, having achieved a full third realm breakthrough. Her gown was a little more flattering, and Ling Qi had seen her trading flushed smiles with that other fellow, Gun Jun, as they passed one another in the intermission. She supposed that Gan Guangli wouldn't let anything untoward happen under his watch.

"What marks that one out from the rest of the early green contestants?" Lao Keung asked

"She was something of a subordinate of mine, and it looks like she has been both hardworking and fortunate in the last year," Ling Qi said idly. "I wish her luck is all, excuse the personal fancy."

Lao Keung hummed under his breath.

"Does the baroness intend to assemble a troupe?" Xia Anxi asked, amused. "I have heard of the efforts you have gone through to promote your bound spirit's song."

"That is not my intention, but collaboration with other musicians is enjoyable from time to time," Ling Qi said. "I have a small group, would you would care to join us in the future?"

"Perhaps, it might be entertaining," Xia Anxi hummed. She wasn't entirely sure if he meant it or not.

Below, the matches were starting.

Ling Qi looked down, switching her attention from one scene to another in turn. Ma Jun, slipping behind a a colonnade of rock formations in a fungi litten cavern, her fingers beginning to pick out the first notes of a song. Han Fang, speeding through a forest of scrubby trees in a river valley, as a large feline shape emerged from his shadow, and Lu Feng, standing in a flower filled meadow with his eyes shut and his arms crossed over his chest,

These matches, Ling Qi thought did not have the same tension, the majority of the third realms seemed to have been in the first set, although, scanning the arena's she was quite sure that there were still at least two in each, although many were only partially in the third realm like Fan Yu.

"What a lovely beast," Xia Anxi mused. "The black tigers of the east are often reluctant partners from what I hear. The Han prefer the more bombastic breeds."

Ling Qi focused in on Han Fang as his hammer bent another disciple over double, and the lithe black tiger at his side licked one of its paws, streamers of dispersing mist the only sign of the unfortunate disciples own companion. She, the beast was female, then sped past both human's a blur of crimson eyes and black fur to shred apart a crooked tree with a swipe of her paw, and a hair raising roar, sending the disciple hiding in it tumbling through the open air.

"Han Fang is unusual, he is more like a Viper for his cousin, the heir's son," Meizhen explained calmly.

"Hoh, how sensible," Xia Anxi said.

"Hm, it looks as if you have a follower in more ways than one, Baroness," Meizhen continued.

"Oh?" Ling Qi wondered, turning her eyes to follow her friends gaze.

In her own ring, she saw a spear thrust through Ma Jun's chest, and the sharp head emerged from her back in a burst of pink and crimson. The sound of a zither, and the soft ring of bells echoed in the cavern as her whole frame came apart into into an expanding cloud of brightly colored petals and blossoms. Her opponent, a girl with dark hair a boyish clothes spun her spear desperately wind blasting away the densest cluster of petals, but it was not enough, and where the whirling blossom's touched skin they left behind thin cuts and a soporific scent. The girl with the spear spun, searching for Ma Jun in the cloud of flowers and shot off, carving a cooridoor through the mass to strike at the shadowed figure of Ma Jun.

Again, it exploded into petals and this time the girl was too slow to deflect the descending wave of blossoms.

"Hm, she's really come far," Ling Qi said, the aesthetic was certainly different, but she felt a little flattered anyway.

"You must be a frustrating foe," Lao Keung mused.

"I try," Ling Qi said. "If I infuriate the enemy enough, they may forget my lady's saber."

"A fatal error indeed," Meizhen said, the corners of her lips quirking up in a smile.

"Your subordinate is entertaining," Xia Anxi allowed. "Although I find it difficult to enjoy while that westerner is mocking his match."

Lu Feng still stood in the clearing, in the same position. Here and their beads of blood marked the swaying grass around him, but he was largely unruffled. His strategy it seemed was to simply let his opponents fight, striking only those foolish enough to come close. It was valid certainly, to not show any of your abilities without need. He didn't have Gan Guangli's additional objectives.

It still nettled her, just a bit, even if she knew it was illogical.

"Look at you acknowledging your biases," Sixiang drawled. "Don't let your guests know."

Ling Qi rolled her eyes, and beside her Xia Anxi chuckled. "Yes, it is quite rude to the sect, isn't it?"

"It would be more polite to put on a show," Ling Qi demurred.

"It would better fulfill his objectives to crush our Xiao, and your Gan however," Lao Keung said calmly.

"A fair point, Sun Liling and her churls have learned from last years mistakes," Bai Meizhen said coldly. "It would be grand for our enemies to all be fools, alas, the world rarely complies with such wishes."

"It is true, Lady Bai, but look at what fodder he has been given. Some style would not be amiss," Xia Anxi said carefully. "Although I should not be surprised that a westerner should be so ungrateful to his hosts."

Meizhen hummed to herself, and inclined her head minutely. "My words were no rebuke."

Ling Qi watched Xia Anxi relax a little out of the corner of her eye. It was hard to remember that her best friend was very permissive for a white serpent Bai, and the experiences of those such as Xia Anxi and Lao Keung would reflect that.

Below, the matches were beginning to wrap up, the other green in Lu Feng's ring, an older young man with a boar spirit, defeated the last second realm. In Ma Jun's ring, disciples had given up on hunting the swiftly moving storm of flower petals and song and turned to fighting for the other slot, and in the last, Han Fang and his tiger hunted down the second to last disciple. Ling Qi glanced at the fourth ring and was surprised to see Fan Yu standing there, his face still sullen even in victory.

As she turned to focus toward the Sect Head, Ling Qi felt a tap on her shoulder. By the time she had turned her head, she realized that the sound of the stadium was gone, and the world was grey. She met the tired eyes of middle aged man with too many lines on his face and grey in his hair. At that moment, she remembered Hou Zhuang, who had been here the entire time.

"Apologies for the interruption Baroness," said the man, Bai Meizhen's father. "But I need your attention for a moment."

Ling Qi frowned, eyeing the greyed out world, she saw an image of herself still facing forward and speaking with the others, saw the other young Bai still talking, although it all seemed slow. "Of course, sir Hou," she said carefully. "If I may ask…"

"It is something of a personal matter," he said quietly, and she saw his eyes drift toward Meizhen, who was watching the matches below with an understated disinterest. "We spoke last year, and I found it very helpful."

Ling Qi frowned, thinking through foggy memories, their exchange had been brief, just a few words, traded on Meizhen's well being. "Sir Hou, it is not worth speaking of."

"Maybe, but allow this old man to be sentimental, just this once," Hou Zhuang said. "She is… happy now, this I see. You are part of that."

"...Only a small part," Ling Qi said, eyes straying to the sash her friend wore around her waist. "We helped one another in the beginning, but she has found her own way."

"Nonetheless, my gratitude," Hou Zhuang said, and once again he tapped her shoulder. Ling Qi felt a tingle through her storage ring and swift inspection made her realize that a neat sheaf of papers and letters had appeared within, along with inkpots and containers full of wax. "I have heard that your correspondence has been troubled. There are ways, ciphers and seals of dealing with such. I have penned you a few primers"

"My thanks," Ling Qi said slowly, whatever else could be said of him Hou Zhuang was a fifth realm who she suspected specialized in spycraft. "I-Thank you very much for your instruction."

"It is a trifle," said the old man. "There are some observations on your province and its people as well. Names of those who are too proud of their homes to treat with foreigners, but who love the Cai more than their own lords and elders. If you reach out to them, as the hand of the young miss, they will take it. I hope I am not overstepping in suggesting such dishonorable talk?"

His smile was a wasted thing, bereft of joy.

"No," Ling Qi said. "And I do not think it is dishonorable to keep an eye on things like this."

"I once knew a young woman who thought the same," Hou Zhuang said idly, scratching at the slightly untidy stubble of his chin. "Open or closed, communication is the bane of conflict. That understanding of others is the key to prosperity. Call us spies, or diplomats, or ambassadors, the result is the same. Two groups know one another better, slights are avoided and violence uneccessary."

He breathed out a sigh. "Forgive an old man for rambling."

"I'm not sure if she was wrong," Ling Qi said softly, turning back to the arena.

"Kind of you to say," he said, his humorless smile unchanging. "But there is one last thing. Your project in the south requires support. I have been authorized to share a small part of my own efforts. Which of the great count clan's would you care for a dossier on?"

Those words… This wasn't entirely personal then. As she thought that, she felt a whisper of feeling on the back of her neck, the edge of a blade. She saw golden eyes behind a black veil out of the corner of her eye. Bai Suzhen, offering some small aid. Ling Qi considered her own plans for the tournament and wondered which of her intended targets she needed help with the most.

[] The Wang Clan
[] The Diao Clan
[] The Meng Clan

The selected clan will have the success chances of rolls during their arc increased by 10